Research

Research at NMBL embraces a variety of approaches to optimize human performance. We develop simulations to study the dynamics and control of human movement, and predict the effects of surgery. We measure kinetics of walking and running to prevent injuries and design wearable robotic systems. We use advanced statistical methods to analyze massive datasets describing movement of millions of individuals across the world. We invent biomedical imaging technologies and use optogenetics to study muscle control and pain.

We develop open source software tools, including OpenSim and Simbody, which enable scientists to develop and share accurate models and simulations of musculoskeletal structures and other dynamic systems. Through Simtk.org, we provide an online platform for the worldwide biomedical community to exchange their software, models, and simulations.

We lead the Mobilize Center, whose mission is to harness the vast amounts of data that have been collected by hundreds of research labs and millions of wearable sensors to improve human movement across the wide range of conditions that limit mobility, including cerebral palsy, osteoarthritis, obesity, and running injuries.

We develop and use advanced medical imaging techniques to determine muscle and bone geometry, measure in vivo joint and muscle motion, and characterize muscle architecture. We have designed and built an optical imaging system for capturing individual human sarcomeres from nearly any location in the body.

We apply optogenetics to control neural activity in the peripheral nervous system. We have achieved light-mediated activation of motor neurons to stimulate muscle contraction, and we are developing methods for inhibition of neural activity to control spasticity and pain.

We use musculoskeletal modeling, dynamic simulations, motion capture experiments, and medical imaging to create an integrated understanding of human movement, explain the biomechanical causes of movement abnormalities, and predict the functional consequences of interventions like surgery and assistive devices.

We use three-dimensional kinematics and forces, electromyography, and calorimetry to characterize the dynamics of movement and identify new ways to optimize human performance and prevent injury, such as gait retraining through haptic feedback.

Anatomical studies
We have performed anatomical studies to measure muscle architecture, muscle moment arms, and joint kinematics.
Strength and Coordination Measurements
We have studied the activation patterns of muscles in unimpaired subjects and in subjects with movement abnormalities by securing the limb to a load cell, asking subjects to match target loads displayed on a computer monitor, and ...

Support and Affiliations

The Neuromuscular Biomechanics Lab is part of the Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering Departments at Stanford University. The Lab is supported by grants from the NIH and DARPA.
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